mocabe



April 17, 1928.

F. E. MCCABE AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR THE RAMM'ING HEADS 0F MOLDINGMACHINES Filed Feb. s. 1926 4 Sheets-sheet 1 l lllllltllllllwllll ffrime/vial' 45M mgodf faim. (M M Jig@ April 17, 1928. 1,666,578

F. E. MccABE AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR THE RAMMING HEADS OF MOLDING MACHINESFiled Feb. 5. 192e 4 sheets-sheet 2 f/ fnl/agrar April 17, 192s.1,666,576`

F'.V E. MCCABE AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR THE RAMMING HEADS OF MOLDINGMACHINES April 17, 1928. A 1,666,578

F. E. MCCABE AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR THE RAMMING HEADS OF MOLDING MACHINESFil Feb, 5. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 t\\\ \i Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. MCGABE, OF'CHAGRI'N FALLS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR- TO THE-RATHBONE MA-CHINE COMI'ANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR THE RAMMING HEADS OF MOLDING MACHINES.

Application filed February 5, 1926.

This invention relates to the class of mold ing machines disclosed in.my (ro-pending ap plication Serial No. 733.3611, tiled August 2l, 1924,and it has to do more particularl with improved means for controllingthe t escent or return movement ot' the ramming heads of machines ofthis class.

The primary purpose ot my present invention is to provide etlicient andthoroughly reliable means for automatically controlling the retractionot the ramming head, effecting the very essential slow movement ot saidhead while the patterns are being withdrawn from the molds and allowinga much faster movement thereof at all other times so as not to retardproduction.

Other and more detailed objects ot the invention will appear as thisdescription proceeds. reference being had to the accompanying drawingswherein Fig'. 1 is a sectional front elevation of a molding machineembodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a tragmentary right hand endelevation of the machine on a considerably enlarged scale over that ofFig'. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar rear elevation ot the machine; Figs. et and5 are enlarged sectional details on the respective lines 'l-ft and 5 5ot Fig'. 3; and Fig. 6 is a sectional detail7 on a 'further enlargedscale, ot the valve through which the descent of the ramming headcontrolled.

The machine comprises, generally, a 'trame structure that is composed ota hase. l to the ends ot' which are secured. as by cap screws 2 (Fig.2). vertical columns 4 and 5. the columns being accurately positionedwith respect to the base, and maintained in such relation thereto, bykeys 6 that occupy ways in the columns and base.

Operating within an upwardly opening cylinder 7 that is incorporated inthe base 1 is a piston 8 to the flanged upper end of which is Yt'astenel a rannninghead 10. The piston 8, and consequently the ramming head 10,are held against turning with respect to the base by plungers 11 thatoperate within dash pots 12 that are suitably supported within the base.The upper ends ot the plungers are shown as reduced in 4diameter and eX-tended through holes in the flange of the piston S beyond which they arethreaded for the application of nuts 13. A further and more important:function of the plungers and dash pots is to control the descent of theSerial No. 86,147.

rannning head as will hereinafter more .fully appear.

The lower portions of the columns 4 and 5 are preferably ot channelformation while their upper ends are made cylindrical. The cylindricalupper end ot the column t constitutes a bearing 15 upon which isjournale'd a sleeve 16 that is shown as formed integral with one end ota pressure head 17. The slee-ve 16 is held down by a nut 18 that isscrewed onto the upper threaded end of the bearingT 15. The end ot thepressure head 17 opposite the sleeve 1G is formed to provide a. yoke 20that is adapted to embrace the cylindrical portion 21 oi the column 5,all ot which is illustrated in greater detail in my above mentionedapplication. The tree end ot the pressure heador that which incorporatesthe yoke 20-is adapted to be held down by a nut 22 that is screwed ontothe reduced, threaded upper end of the column 5. A suitable latch 24 isemployed to loclt the pressure head to the column 5 in operativ(`position with respect to the ramming head. The pressure head is equippedwith a handle 25 by means of which it may be swungr to and fromoperative position.

Secured. respectively. to the rannning head 10 and the pressure head 17are pat-tern trames 2S and 29 and to these vtrames are attached thepatterns 2t n and 29". respectively. A mold tlaslr 32 is adapted to beplaced upon the pattern trame 28. and the same is pro vided with ears 33which extend from its ends and have apertures which receive positioning`pins that rise trom the pattern trame. i

The flask, in turn, supports positioning pins 35 which cooperate withperforated ears 36 that extend trom the ends yof a sand frame 37 that isadapted to be applied to the top ot the. flask 'tor a purpose which Willpresently appear.

To insure proper alignn'lent of the coopertion with `each other througha valve 47. It

Y may .be explained that this is a three way adjusted position alonglthe stein.

valve and when in one position, cuts ott conllnunication between theaforesaid pipes; when in a second position, con'in'lunicative'lyconnects said pipes, and when in a third position, vshuts 4oft pipe t5and opens pi pelt to the atmosphere through an exhaust e8. The valve isadapted to be actuatedrby a stem 50 which rises to a height that isconrenient to the operator andis journaled at its upper end in a bracket5l that extends Jr'orwardl/Y liroin vthe column Abono the bracket 511tbestem hasrsccured to fit an operating; handle 52. As brought out .in mypreviously :mentioned Vapplication, this han dle may have `associatedwith yit cert-ainsafety 4equipment which prevents the vvalve beingplaced in position to admit pressure tluidto 4the cilflinder Tiexceptwhen the pressure head is in `operative position.

l sha-ll now `prfaeed :with :a description oil' the means `forcontrolling' the descent oit the manning' lhead and which constitutesthe subject .matter of in v present invention. suitably sustained withinthe lower, channel portion-Olithe'eolunn is anoil. reservoir 55, andvpressure fluid is conducted to the `upper end of said reservoir througha branch 5G of the :supply pipe 45. A pipe 57 leads Ifrom the lower fendol the oil reservoir to a riser 58 which connects at its upperI `endvwith a horizontal pipe 59 vthat leads to the 4previously mentioned dashpot-s l2. A check valvei() is placed withinv the pipe 57 innuediately inadvance of the riser 58 to prevent return flow `frein the dash pots tothe resen voir through the course just `d ribed. The return of `oiltothe reservoir is permitted, however, through a pipe 61 which leads'troni the pipe `59 to a `poi-nt in the pipe 57 in advance of theAchecl; valve 60. The pipe Gl includes a valve y62 which `isprelicnabij,7 in the nature ot a needle valve (Fig. 6).

The pipe `6l, on opposite sides oli the val-ve 62, is rigidly secured,as by clamps 65, to the outer end of a bracket 6G that is carried byand` entends rearwardly troni :thecoluinn 5. An L-shaped arinl is 'teefltened to .the bracket `66, as by rivets 68 (Fig. ,and a screw 69 istlireaded through an-end portion oft the Vanni which is porpendicular tothe axis of the stein 7010i the valve 62,' Said stein is extended andenlarged, as shown iat 7l, and the enlarged portion is `threaded for theapplication Aot nuts 72 which eoact to lock each other in any Avcompression spring 73 is interposed. between the outer one of the nuts72 4and the opposed end of the screw 69, said screw having an axial stud74; which', with the end port-ion Aoit the valve stein, serves to holdthe `spring in place. The spring 73 tends to project the'steni ofmediare oit' the stud i8, and ythe saine constituted ot the head or ascrew Sl that ,is threaded through a lurgrfliloii `thc bracket (iti, thescrew beine4 provided with a nul which it may be locked `in un;Yadjusted position. The pinpose '1t' this adjustable abut nientris tolimit the t ,l ance that the tapered inner end oit' `the valve stein maybe pro- `ieeted toward the seat (32a toward which it advanced by thespring?T 73. ln vother words, by this adjustnfient detern'iinedr thelninin'luni umilve opening.

Mounted for oscillation upon a stub shatt- '85 that projects rearwardlyAfrom -a part ot the l-naclzetli the hub portion oi' a rocher arni.designated generally by `the `reference numeral 87 :andincludingbranches 8S and d). The latter -ln'anch is biiinrcaterl at itslower end :and stra ddlcs the enlarged plnftion 7l oli the valve stein.`The valve stein is pre` ventedv from turning by the engagement ot thestud fdwithin 'the restricted upper :end .ofthe `bifurcation of thebranch 89 of the rocker arm. A roller 90 is carried by the .upper endetthe rocker arni branch `S87` and the saine is arranged to traverse the:taco of a cani 91 that is-.carried by a leg; 92 which depends from therann'ninghead l0, said leg being shown as secured to said head by screws93.

As previously stated`- .it is the mechanism which has just beendescribed that is responsiblerfor the automatic control ot the vdescentof the ranuning head and which effects a slow movement of said headwhile the patterns are beingl withdrawn 'troni the nlold cavities, andallows a relatively fast inoveniient of the head at all other times. l'twill be seen by referring: to Fig. 3, where the prolile oit the cani 91is clm-irly shown, that `the cana .includes low parla and f1 adjacentits opposite ends `and al rclatirel'y high part 7) between said lowparts and a urtl'ler chigh part 7) above the low blown `or removed allsand troni `the pattern '28a and has placed the flash 3Q and the sid:trame 87 in position as illustrated in 3? by means ot lill) 1. He thenfills the Hask and the sand frame with sand, scraping o any surplus tobring the top surface of the sand flush with the top of' the sand frame37. He then grasps the handle and swings the pressure head intooperative position above the ramming head, the latch serving to lock thcpressure head in place. The operator then grasps the handle 52 and turnsthe same to open the valve 47 and admit pressure fluid from the pipe etthrough the pipe 46 into the cylinder 7, whereupon the piston 8 andramming head l0 will be elevated to carry the parts supported therebyinto cooperation with the upper pattern 29, the pressure fluidaccumulating within the cylinder to afford a powerful pressure to thepiston thereby to effectively comprese` the sand within the flask. Asthe flask is presented to the top pattern 29, the sand frame 37telescopes over the pattern frame until it is stopped, by abutments 96,with its lower edge :Hush with the surface oit the pattern. The sandframe is held in elevated position by spring fingers 97 which arecarried by the pattern frame 29.

As hereinbefore stated, the descentofI the ramming head is governed bythe dash pots 12. As the plungers 11 descend within the dash pots theoil in the dash pots is displaced and forced through the pipes 59, G1and 57 to the reservoir 55. However, the oil can be displaced only asfast as the valve 62 will allow. lVhen the ramming head is fullyelevated, the roller 90 is opposite the low part a, of' the cam 91 thatis adjacent the lower end of said cam and, with the pai'ts in thisposition, the valve 62 is as nearly closed as the engagement of the headof the stud 78 with the abut-ment 8O will permit. This is because of thefac-t that when the roller 90 drops into the low part a it permits therocker arm S7 to t-urn on the stub shaft 85, the lower branch 89 of saidarm swinging toward the valve 62 so as to permit the spring 73 toproject the valve stem inwardly. Consequently the initial downwardmovement of' the ramming head is retarded at the time the mold isbeingstripped from the upper pattern Q9. Immediately after this theroller 90 rides upon the high part t) of the cam 91 and this results inthe valve 62 being open to quite a considerable extent because it swingsthe rocker arm in a direction to move the branch 89 thereof away fromthe valve 62, thereby to retract the f'alve stem by reason of theengagement of said branch with the adjacent nnt- 72, whereupon the oilflows comparatively freely from the dash pots to the reservoir allowingthe ramining head to descend rapidly until the roller 90 swings over tothe low part a adjacent the upper end of the cam. This causes the valve92 to resume its former condition and, as a consequence thereof, the

movement of the ramming head is again retarded. This occurs at about thetime the flask 32 engages the upper ends ofl flask arresting andsustainingr means 98 (Fig. 3) and continues until the lower pattern iswithdrawn from the mold. The flask arresting and sustaining means,involving the arms 98, constitutes no part oi my present invention andaccordingly a detailed illustration thereof' is deen'led unnecessary.This mechanism is -fully disclosed in my copending applicationhereinbefore referred to. Just as soon as the lower pattern is clear ofthe mold the roller 9() rides onto the high part b of the cam 91 and therocker arm is swung in a direction to retract the valve stem and openthe valve so as to permit free passage of' the oil therethrough andconsequently causes a rapid descent of' the ramming head to its lowestposition.

Thus it will be seen that, through my present invention, the descent of'the ramming head is automatically controlled in such a. way as togreatly expedite the production of molds and insure uniform and perfectwork, removing the human element completely from the operation.Furthermore, by the adjustment otl the valve limiting abutment themechanism may be regulated to suit different conditions and tocompensate for any variations in thc viscosity of' the oil resultingfrom temperature changes. Also, it should be explained that variousshaped cams 91 may be provided to suit flasks and patterns of'ditl'crent depths. Not only can the slow periods of' the descent of thecam be varied by the adjustment of the abutment 80, but the fast periodsas well may be regulated by the adjustment of the nuts 72.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a molding machine, the combination of opposed heads that arerelatively movable toward and from each other, means for effectingrelative movement of the heads, a fluid container, a fluid displacingelement operating in said container, said container and said displacingelement being connected to the respective heads in such manner that thecontainer and ('lisplaeing elementI are restricted to substantially thesame relative movement as the headsa valve for controlling the escape offiuid from the container, said yalve incorporating an orifice and aclosure that is movable toward and from the orifice, and means dependentfor its actuation upon the relative movement between the beads 'forautomatically adjusting the closure toward and from said orifice therebyto etfect a movement of variable speed between the heads.

2. In a molding machine. the combination of' a pressure head, a ramminghead supported for movement toward and from the pressure head, means formoving the ramfor elevating the ramming head, a dash pot for controllingthe descent of the ramming head, a valve :tor governing the escape offluid from the dash pot, said valve incorporating an orifice and aclosure that is movable toward and from the orifice, a cam carried bythe ranuning head, and a member arranged to be engaged and moved by thecam tor moving the closure.

ll. In a molding machine, the combination of a base, a pressure headfixed with respect to the base, a ramming head supported by the basettor vertical movement toward and trom the pressure head, means forelevating the rannning head, a dash pot for controlling the descent ofthe ramming head, a valve for governing the escape ol fluid from thedash pot, said valve incorporating an orifice and a closure that ismovable toward and `from the orifice, a spring tending to move theclosure toward the oritice, a cam carried by the, ramming head, a memberarranged to be engaged and moved by the cam' t'or moving the closure inopposition to said spring, and adjustable connections between saidmember and the closure.

l2. In a molding machine, the combination of a base, a pressure headsupported above the base, a ramming head supported by the base forvertical movement toward and from the pressure head7 means for elevatingthe ramming head, dash pots tor controlling the descent ot the pressurehead, a liquid reservoir, means for conducting pressure fluid to thereservoir 'for the purpose o1 displacing the liquid therein,communicative connections between the reservoir and the dash pots, saidconnections including a check Valve for preventing the return ot' liquidthrough said connections, other connections through Which the liquid mayescape from the dash pots and return to the reservoir, a valve in thelast mentioned connections, said valve incorporating an orifice and aclosure movable toward and from the oriice, and means carried by theramming head for automatically adjusting the closure toward and :fromthe orifice thereby to effect a variable speed ot the ramming head.

13. In a molding machine, the combination ot' a base, a pressure headsupported above the base, a ramming head sustained by the base forvertical movement toward and from the pressure head, means lor elevatingthe ramming head, a dash pot tor-controlling the descent of the ramminghead, a valve tor governing the escape of fluid from the dash pot, saidvalve incorporating an orifice and a closure that is movable toward andfrom the orifice, the closure having an extension, an abutment on saidextension, a

spring tending to move the closure toward the orifice, a rocker armsupported by the base in a position to engage said abutment` and a camcarried by the ramming head for cooperation with said arm thereby torock the arm and adjust the closure in opposition tothe aforesaidspring.

lll. ln a molding machine, the combination ott a base, a pressure headsupported above the base, a ramming head sustained by the base forvertical movement toward and from the pressure head, means 'forelevating the rannning head, a dash pot for controlling the descent otthe ramming head, a valve for governing the escape of fluid lrom thedash pot, said valve incorporating a seat, and a stem that isreciprocable toward and -from the seat, the end of the stem adjacenttheseat being designed for cooperation therewith, an abutment adjustablysupported by the base in opposed relation to the valve stem, a springinterposed between the abutment and said stem for moving the lattertoward the valve seat, a stop adjustably carried by the base t'orlimiting the movement ol* the stem in the latter direction, an abutmenton the valve stem, a member supported by the base tor oscillation and ina position to engage the abutment on the valve stem, and a cam carriedby the rannning head Vfor engagement with said member thereby tooscillate it and move the valve lstem in opposition to the aforesaidspring.

l5. ln a molding machine, the combination ot a base, a pressure headsupported above the base, a ramming head sustained by the base forvertical movement toward and from the pressure head, means 'forelevating the rannning head, a dash pot for controlling the descent otthe ramming head, a valve tor governing the escape ot' fluid from thedash pot, said valve incorporating a seat, and a stem that isreciprocable toward and from the seat, the end ot the stem adjacent theseat being designed for cooperation therewith, an abutment adjustablysupported by the base in opposed relation to thel valve stein, a springinterposed between the abutment and said stem :l'or moving the lattertoward the valve seat, a stop adjustably carried by the base 'forlimiting the movement ot the stem in the latter direction, an abutmentadjustable on the valve stem, a rocker arm supported by the base andhaving one of its ends biturcated and embracing the valve stem adjacentthe abutment thereon, and a cam carried by the ramming head :forcooperation with the rocker arm.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my signature.

FRANK E. MCCABE.

